Inking device for a rotary duplicator



Jan. 16, 1940. F. NIGRA 2,186,939

INKING- DEVICE FOR A ROTARY DUPLICA'IOR I Original Filed Oct. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 4 INVEN TOR.

- FERDINAND N1 GRA ATTORNEY.

Jan. 16, 1940. F. NIGRA INKING DEVICE FOR A ROTARY DUPLICATOR Original Filed Oct. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

FERDINAND N/GRH A TTORNEY,

Patented Jan. 16, 1940 L I UNITED STATES has i INKING DEVICE FOR A ROTARY DUPLICATOR Ferdinand Nigra, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Niagara Duplicator Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Original application October 22, 1934, Serial No. 749,328. Divided and this application August 14, 1937, Serial No. 159,149 i Claims.

The invention relates to a stencil inking device for use in the printing cylinder of a rotary duplicator, and comprises a division of my application' Ser. No. 749,328, filed October 22, 1934.

5 An object of the invention is to provide an improved means to effect a controlled distribution of ink laterally of a stencil on the cylinder and from a reservoir in the cylinder.

Another object is to provide an improved means for spreading the ink over the inking pad for the stencil.

A further object is to provide a means to so control the ink-spreading means that the ink I may be spread only for a predetermined and ad- 1 6 justable length of stencil.

- The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of a typical embodiment of the invention and in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure l. is a front elevation of a duplicator embodying the present features of invention.

figure 2 is a horizontal section taken generally 2!! at 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section at 3-3 in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a section of the cylinder of the duplicator, taken at the line i--- l in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section of the cylinder at 5--5 in I .0, Figure 1, certain elements in the cylinder being shown in different relation than in Figures 3 and 4. Y i

The features of the present invention are incorporated in the illustrated duplicating machine 3:5 5 in which a stencil 2 is carried on a rotary cylinder 3 for its printing engagement with a sheet of paper or other material for receiving printing. The printing cylinder 3 is supported for rotation 1 by and between side frame members 5 and 6 40. which extend upwardly and in mutual opposition from a. base frame 1, and receive the duplicator mechanism between them.

Externally thereof, and at its end nearest the frame member 8, a belt pulley 8 is provided for 45 itsioperation by a belt 10 for effecting a power rotation of the cylinder, said pulley being releasably attachable to the cylinder. vA shaft 9 is journalled in the frame member 5 in parallel relation to the rotative axis of the cylinder, and is to? connected with the cylinder through constantly engaged gears H and I2 which are respectively provided on it and on the cylinder. At its outer end, the shaft 9 carries a hand crank l3 for use to manually rotate the cylinder through the co- 5; action of the gears H and I2.

By reference to Figure 3, it will be notedthat a sheet M whichhas been moved from the top of a stack of sheets on a feed table iii to dispose its front end portion between pairs of upper and lower rollers I6 and If, is thereafter engaged by n and between said rollers and is thereby advanced forwardly for the disposal of its front end portion between the stencil 2 on the rotary cylinder 3 andv an impression roller Hi, and is finally gripped be- 7 tween the cylinder and the impression roller to 1 continue the feeding movement of the sheet While the latter is being progressively printed in a Well understood manner. y

The impression roller i8 is mounted for itsfree rotation on a shaft is which is carried by and between corresponding and rearward ends of lever-like members Zii which are intermediately pivoted on a fixedly disposed rock-shaft 2 i, said shaft being journalled in and between the frame members 5 and 6 and being disposed toward the 20 front or feeding end of the machine with respect to the roller I8.

The forward ends of the lever members 2?} are connected by a bar 22, and a tension spring 23 extends generally rearwardly from the bar to 25 an anchorage in the frame base i to constantly urge a resilient engagement of the impression roller 18 against the cylinder 3. The extremities of the shaft l9 and the bar 22 pivotally engage the ends of the levers 25] whereby the generally planar assembly of these members may be distorted transversely thereof if such is required to insure an even bearing of the impression roller with and along the cylinder.

Arms 24 extend rigidly and radially from the shaft 2| 'for simultaneous engagement with the bar 22 as a means to rock the levers 2t to'dis pose the roller outv of engagement with the cylinder. An arm 25 extends rigidly from the shaft 2| in angular relation to thearm 24 thereat, and 46 a tension spring 26 connects the free end of the arms 24 with an anchorage on the base i whereby the arm 25 is resiliently urged to maintain an engagement thereof with an adjustable stop 2? mounted on a suitable bracket extending from the frame member; it will be understood that the stop 21 determines one limit of oscillationof the. shaft 26. The rocking of the shaft ii to displace the roller at the appropriate time in the feeding cycle of a sheet I4 may be effected in any suitable manner; mechanism for providing the complete cycle by and in synchronism with'the rotation of the cylinder is shown in detail in my copending application, Ser. No. 749,328v previously referred to, and is fragmentarily shown herein in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring now to the structure and mounting of the printing drum or cylinder 3, it is noted that said cylinder essentially comprises a pair of circular end plates 4! and 42 connected. by a cylindrically curved and perforated diaphragm plate 43 over which the stencil 2 is disposed. End portions 44 of the diaphragm plate are turned radially inwardly to provide distinct bends at the limits of its working area, and said portions are fixed to mutually spaced tie bars 45 which connect the end plates 46 and 12, are parallel to the cylinder axis, and mount an ink reservoir and ink-feeding assembly within the cylinder space and generally between them. A fabric inking pad 41 is interposed between the stencil and the diaphragm plate, and suitable means are provided to secure the ends of the mounted stencil and pad on the cylinder.

A shaft 49 extends axially within the cylinder, engages through a bore in the end plate 42 for its rotative adjustment in said bore, and extends through and from a sleeve bearing 50 which is mounted in the frame member 6. At its other end, the shaft 49 is journalled in a tubular hub 5| which is integral with the plate 4i, said hub extending outwardly from the plate toward the frame member 5 and carrying the gear I2 fixed to it at its outer end. A stub-shaft or bearing pin 54 is mounted in the frame member 5 and extends within the bore of the hub 57 whereby the adjacent cylinder end is supported thereat and thereby. It will thus be understood that the cylinder 3 is rotatably supported by and between the bearing pin 54 and the sleeve bearing 59 which are engaged respectively by the hub 5! and the shaft 49, and that the said hub and shaft are arranged for relative 5 rotation independently of the rotation of the cylinder. Suitable anti-friction bearing bushings may be provided in the bores which rotatively receive the shafts 49 and 54, this being indicated in Figure 2.

The ink reservoir T5 of the ink-supplying assembly 46 of the cylinder 3 is generally segmental in cross-section and is provided with a capped filler opening l'l' in its outer and curved side. A pump cylinder 18 extends from the flat inner reservoir wall 19, and a suitably valved piston 89 is operative in the pump cylinder to force ink therefrom through a spring-controlled valve 8| and into a tube 82 which discharges into a distributing valve 93. The piston rod 84 extends through and from the reservoir for manual actuation, it being noted that the stencil cylinder 3 is arranged to be disposed with the filler opening at the top of the cylinder when ink is to be pumped whereby the pump cylinder may gravitationally receive ink for the pumping thereof. A compression spring 85 is operative between the piston and the lower end of the pump cylinder 18 for constantly urging the piston toward the opposite end of the pump cylinder from the valve 8!.

The distributing valve 83 comprises a rotary valve plug 81 which is operative in a body 88 to deliver ink to any one or two or all of three discharge tubes 89 which extend to different points along the length of the cylinder cavity. A valve stem 90 extends axially from the valve plug 81 through the reservoir, and its protruding end is provided with a suitable knob 9! for use in manually setting the valve in a closed or selectively open condition. The disclosed arrange ment and coaction of the pump and distributing valve are understood to provide for a controlled distribution of ink charges within the printing cylinder cavity and at spaced points in a line extending along the inside of the diaphragm plate 43 axially of the cylinder; as particularly shown, three discharge tubes :39 are provided, but no limitation is to be implied as to the number of tubes which may be used. The present arrangement is important in that it provides for a controlled distribution of ink across the width of the stencil on the cylinder.

Mutually coplanar arms 93 extend radially and fixedly from the shaft 49 within the cylinder and adjacent its end plates 41 and 42, and said arms carry a roller 94 on and between their outer ends for a constant and resilient engagement of the roller with and along the inner face of a coarse screen 95 lining the inside of the diaphragm plate 43. The roller 94 is preferably formed of resilient material and is arranged to be oscillated circumferentially over the engaged face of the screen 95 for evenly spreading the ink thereat and forcing the same through the diaphragm and into the ink pad 41. A handwheel. 99 is fixed on the free end of the shaft 49 which extends outwardly of the frame side 6; with the cylinder held fixed, a manual oscillation of the handwheel 99 is arranged to effect an operative movement of the roller 94 over the screen 95, whereby ink may be distributed as desired without requiring access to the inside of the cylinder.

A sleeve member 9? is rotatably mounted on the portion of the shaft 49 between the arms 93, and mutually parallel arms 98 extend radially from opposite sleeve ends. At their outer ends, the arms 98 cooperatively carry a flat blade-like member 99 in their plane and having its outer edge closely and slidably contacting the inner face of the screen 95 for the full length of the cylinder space. The screen-engaging portion I00 of the member 99 may comprise a sealing strip of felt or the like, and the member is arranged to function as a partition at the screen.

Whenever less than the full length of the stencil is to be used, the member 99 may be placed opposite the interior end of a stencil portion to be used for permitting the operation of the roller only at said portion. In the present instance, the partition member 99 may be placed opposite the forward stencil end or rearwardly of said end, and the roller 94 is shown as being disposed and operative behind the member 99 whereby the space for inking with the roller is defined between the member and the rear stencil end. It will be understood, however, that elements mi ht be provided at both sides of the roller 94 whereby a pair of said members may cooperatively determine both ends of a stencil zone to be inked. It will, of course, be understood that the line of ink delivery for the discharge tubes 89 must always lie interiorly of a said zone at which the roller 94 is to operate.

Adjustment of the partition 99 may be efi'ected from the outside of the cylinder by appropriately swinging an arm IilI which extends radially from a shaft I 92 which is journalled in the cylinder end plate 42 and carries a radial arm ms extending along the inner face of said place. Both of the arms in! and I93 are rigidly fixed to the shaft I92, and the arm I93 is connected to an arm 93 by means of a link I94 whereby an appropriate rocking of the arm IN is arranged to effect any desired adjustment of the positioning of the element 99 in the cylinder for limiting the zone of inking when this is desirable, it being noted that the control :of the printing operation disclosed in Ser. N o. 749,328 provides for printing zones of difierent lengths, and in difierent posifi of the stencil partition 99 provide for inking rectangular stencil zones of different size and location, provided only that theline of ink discharge upon the screen 95 crosses said zone.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with'the accompanying -.drawings, the

advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. the principles of operation of a structure which I now consider to be'a preferred embodiment of my invention, I desire to have it understood that the showing is primarily illustrative, and" that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim: 4

1. In a rotary duplicator or the like, aprinting cylinder, a stencil mounted on the cylinder, face, an ink reservoir provided Within the cylinder,

means for discharging ink from the reservoir upon the stencil in a line extending axially of the cylinder, a roller operative within said cylinder .for spreading the discharged ink circumferentially froinsaid line, a member engaging the inkreceiving area axially of the cylinder and disposa-ble to variably partition said area for limiting the operative movement of the inkingrolleigand means operative from the exterior of the cylinder to adjustably dispose said member.

2. In a rotary duplicator, a printing cylinder providing a diaphragm plate comprising a portion of the cylindrical wall of the cylinder, a printing stencil mounted over said diaphragm platefan ink reservoir fixed within the cylinder, means to efiect the discharge of ink from the reservoir and upon the diaphragm plate in a line extending axially of the cylinder, a roller operative within said cylinder andat the inside face of the diaphragm for spreading the ink circumferentially from said line of deposit thereof, and a member While I have described the features and" irictionally contacting theink-receiving area of the diaphragm plate in a line extending axially of the cylinder and adjustably disposable to, variously partition said area for lir'niting the operative movement of the inking roller in accordance with its setting.

3. In a duplicator or the like, a rotary stencil cylinder, an ink reservoir, means for discharging ink from the reservoir upon the inner face of a stencil on the cylinder in a line extending axially of the cylinder, an ink-spreading element operative circumferentially within said cylinder for spreading the from said line, a member engaging the ink-receiving area axially ofthe cylinder and disposable to variably partition said area for limiting the operative movement of the ink-spreading element, and means to adjustably dispose and secure said member.

4-. In a duplicator or the like, a rotary stencil cylinder, an ink reservoir, means for controlledly effecting a discharge of ink from the reservoir upon the inner face of the cylinder selectively for difierent'distances along a line extending axially of the cylinder, an ink-spreading element operalive within said cylinder for spreading the discharged ink circumferentially from said line, and

means to adjustaloly and peel vely limit the working stroke of the ink-spreading element whereby the inked area of the stencil may be of less width and/or length than the full area of the stencil stroke of the ink-spreading element.

5. In a duplicator, or the like, a stencil cylinder, an ink reservoir, at least three discharge ducts erminating at mutually spaced nozzles arranged in a line extending axially within the cylinder and [sheet in accordance with the lengthof the deposited line of ink and the length of the working opposite the inner face of a stencil thereon, means connecting saidink reservoir with the duct and including a common multi-way valve for setting to permit a simultaneous discharge of ink from the-reservoir selectively from a plurality of said nozzles, and an ink-spreading means operative circumferentially in said cylinder to spread the discharged ink over an area having a variable Width determined by the length of the line of discharge ink,

. FERDINAND 'NIGRA. 

